Respiratory Therapist
Salary

Respiratory Therapists in the United States can expect to earn an average of $24.10 per hour. Compensation ranges from $18.24 per hour on the lower end to $32.76 on the higher end. Compensation for this group is mainly affected by location, but career length and the individual firm are influential factors as well. More than half of Respiratory Therapists (62 percent) survey participants are women. For the most part, Respiratory Therapists enjoy their work and report high levels of job satisfaction. A strong majority report receiving medical coverage from their employers and a majority collect dental insurance.

XTotal Pay combines base annual salary or hourly wage, bonuses, profit sharing, tips, commissions, overtime pay and other forms of cash earnings, as applicable for this job. It does not include equity (stock) compensation, cash value of retirement benefits, or the value of other non-cash benefits (e.g. healthcare).

XTotal Pay combines base annual salary or hourly wage, bonuses, profit sharing, tips, commissions, overtime pay and other forms of cash earnings, as applicable for this job. It does not include equity (stock) compensation, cash value of retirement benefits, or the value of other non-cash benefits (e.g. healthcare).

Job Description for Respiratory Therapist

Respiratory therapists, or RTs, work with people who are experiencing issues with breathing and, often, cardiopulmonary issues. In many cases, their patients include premature infants born without fully developed lungs, as well as children and adults who suffer from problems such as cystic fibrosis, asthma, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Generally, a respiratory therapist meets with a patient and examines them; after discussing the results of the exam with a physician, they then put together a plan of treatment for the patient. Often, the plan involves removing mucous from a patient’s lungs, as well as inserting a ventilation tube down the patient’s throat in order to connect it to an oxygen-delivering machine. Respiratory therapists working in emergency rooms also often provide care to heart attack, drowning, and shock victims. Respiratory therapists working in home health care often set up ventilators and other life-supporting equipment, as well as providing care takers with direction on the equipment’s use.

Respiratory therapists need at minimum an associate’s degree, though many respiratory therapists have bachelor’s degrees. Many RTs have graduated from programs that focus on specifically on respiratory therapist training. Students hoping to one day enter the field of respiratory therapy need to successfully complete classes including human anatomy, physiology, microbiology, and other science-related courses. They can also expect to be complete studies in therapeutic and diagnostic techniques, medical terminology, and patient assessment.

Common Career Paths for Respiratory Therapist

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Respiratory Therapists may go on to top-notch roles like Physician Assistant, where median pay is $82K annually. Respiratory Therapists typically move into roles as Respiratory Therapy Managers or Registered Nurses, and those positions pay $11K more and $4K more, respectively.

Respiratory Therapist Job Listings

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Popular Employer Salaries for Respiratory Therapist

Apria Healthcare Group Inc, Lincare Inc., Select Specialty Hospitals, HCA, Inc., and Kindred Healthcare are leaders in the field that employ a large number of Respiratory Therapists. Select Specialty Hospitals offers the best pay with a median salary of $59K, though salaries there don't seem that varied, bottoming out near $42K and maxing out at just $72K.

The pay scale is far from balanced at Apria Healthcare Group Inc. While salaries on one end can reach $72K, the company's median pay sits at $47K, the lowest in the field.

Popular Skills for Respiratory Therapist

This chart shows the most popular skills for this job and what effect each skill has on pay.

Survey takers working as Respiratory Therapists report using a large range of professional skills. Lucky workers who know Long Term Care can expect a significant pay bump, scoring salaries 21 percent above average. Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) and Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) are also correlated to pay that is above average, with increases between 9 percent and 21 percent. Most people familiar with Critical Care also know Acute Care and Intensive Care Unit (ICU). It is often found that people who know Emergency Room are also skilled in Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and Acute Care.

Pay by Experience Level for Respiratory Therapist

Median of all compensation (including tips, bonus, and overtime) by years of experience.

Experience does not seem to be a strong driver of pay increase in this role. Survey participants with less than five years' experience pocket $45K on average, but those with five to 10 years of experience enjoy a much bigger median of $51K. On average, Respiratory Therapists make $55K following one to two decades on the job. More than 20 years of experience mean a somewhat bigger median paycheck of $59K, but it's not much more than what less experienced people make.

Pay Difference by Location

For those looking to make money, Respiratory Therapists in Los Angeles enjoy an exceptional pay rate, 38 percent above the national average. Respiratory Therapists can also look forward to large paychecks in cities like New York (+27 percent), San Diego (+16 percent), Philadelphia (+16 percent), and Milwaukee (+15 percent). Pittsburgh is the lowest-paying area, 12 percent south of the national average. St. Louis and Denver are a couple other places where companies are known to pay below the median — salaries are 7 percent lower and 5 percent lower, respectively.